


We're Not a Tragedy

by Myoneloveismusic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Goodbye Kisses, M/M, Mutual Pining, Song fic, pre-kerberos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-20 22:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15543735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: It's the night before the launch of the Kerberos mission. It's supposed to be everything Shiro's ever wanted in his life, but when Keith takes him out for one last victory lap, he realizes there's something he might want a little more than to explore the recesses of space. But even when he voices such ideas, Keith isn't about to let him give up on his dreams.





	We're Not a Tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very, very excited to finally share this fic with everyone! It was largely inspired by the song [Take My Hand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7mw_XQ7hYo) by The Cab. I recommend listening to the song as you read because I think it really gives the full effect I'm going for. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> <3 MOLIM

Shiro stared at his room. It was mostly packed, and he hadn’t seen it look so bare since when he’d first moved in a couple years ago. Most of his things, the personal belongings that had decorated the space anyway, were put into a separate storage locker that would house them for the duration of the Kerberos mission. His bag held the few personal belongings he was allowed and his undergarments. His other space suits were waiting on the ship for launch the next morning.

A knock sounded on his door and he walked over, pulling it open. He wasn’t sure who he expected to be on the other side, but he was happy to see Keith standing there with a smirk on his face.

“Keith!” he greeted, pulling him into a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d take you out for a little victory lap before the launch tomorrow,” he said, pulling back, his smirk sliding into a grin.

“A victory lap?” Shiro asked, brow furrowing.

“Come on,” he said, catching Shiro’s hand and pulling him from his room. “We’ve only got so many hours left and we can’t waste them.”

Shiro let himself be pulled down the hall. Keith wove through the halls and they nodded at some of the people they passed. They turned towards the garage and found the rows of hoverbikes that were stored inside. Keith walked down the row until they reached his red cruiser.

“You’re taking me away from the Garrison?”

Keith smiled and twirled his keys around his finger. He threw a leg over the bike and climbed on. “You’ll just have to find out,” he said, sticking them in the ignition.

Shiro grinned and hurried over to the bike. He climbed on behind Keith, wrapping his arms around his stomach as his adrenaline started pumping from the excitement.

“You ready?” Keith asked, revving the engine.

“You know it,” Shiro said.

Faster than it was probably safe, Keith tore out of his spot and hurtled towards the exit to the garage. They flew free, the humid air meeting their exit as they disappeared through the open gates and headed out towards the desert. The main roads fell away as the ground became rockier and dustier, morphing into less traveled and cared for roads.

The sun was low in the sky, but it wasn’t quite sunset yet. The wind whipped at their clothes and hair, kicking up dust behind them as the large outline of the Garrison disappeared from the horizon.

“Where are we going?” Shiro called over the sound of the wind roaring in their ears.

Keith looked over his shoulder and grinned, before hunching over the handlebars. Shiro felt a little breathless, and it wasn’t just because of the wide expanses of land seemingly at his fingertips. Keith’s eyes had a spark in them he’d become so used to seeing and his smile was bright.

“Hold on tight!” Keith called as the flat land gave way to cliffs and valleys of rock.

Shiro tightened his hold and moved forward, pressing tightly against Keith. The wind battered them as they moved faster.

“Uh, Keith?” he asked as they roared to a cliff edge. “Keith?!” he called in a panic.

“Hold on!” he shouted. Shiro fought to keep his eyes open as they launched over the edge of the cliff. Gravity pulled at them and he watched the bottom of the valley approach sharply. Keith revved the handles again and just before they made impact, the upward thrusters opened, and they stabilized, bouncing once before continuing forward across the rocky terrain.

Shiro gaped and looked back over his shoulder, eyes going from the bottom of the cliff to the top as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

“Where’d you learn how to do that?” he asked.

“Family secret!” he called over his shoulder.

“You have to teach me!”

“I’ll show you when you get back from Kerberos. It’ll be your coming home gift.”

“Deal,” Shiro said.

Their bike rounded another curve and they found a break in the cliffs. They shot through the opening in a cloud of dust and sped across the open desert.

Shiro could see a small, black dot growing on the horizon and squinted, trying to make out what it was as they got closer. The dot grew bigger, slowly spreading out and taking the form of an oddly-shaped square as they approached.

He blinked, belatedly realizing it was a shack as Keith started to slow and approach the house.

“Where are we?” he asked as Keith killed the engine.

Keith prodded him and they both climbed off the bike. “Best place to watch the sunset. At least I think so,” he said, walking towards the front door.

“But whose is this?” Shiro asked. “You can’t just use a random person’s house.”

Keith snorted. “It’s not a random person’s house. It’s mine,” he said, pulling a key from his pocket. “I didn’t get to stay and live here because I was too young, but my dad left it to me, so I have full rights to the property.”

“Oh,” Shiro said.

“I have food if you haven’t eaten yet. And anything is better than Garrison food,” Keith said, pushing inside.

Shiro followed him, staring at the surroundings. The furniture and decorations were sparse. What was in the main room was covered in white sheets to keep dust free. He passed a staircase and followed Keith into a small kitchen.

There was a pizza box on the table. Shiro grinned and Keith returned it.

“Come on,” Keith said, grabbing two cans of soda from the fridge. He handed them to Shiro and took hold of the pizza. “Let’s go out back.”

“Out back? There’s more?” Shiro gaped.

Keith chuckled and headed towards a screen door he hadn’t noticed earlier. “Just a little bit.” He held the door open for Shiro as he walked through and onto a back porch. Keith sat down at the top of the steps and flipped open the lid of the box. Shiro sat next to him and set the drinks between them.

Keith offered him the pizza and he eagerly took a slice, sighing at the taste of the sauce and cheese.

He groaned. “I haven’t had pizza in so long.”

Keith laughed. “You need to get out more.”

“We only get so many clearance days,” Shiro argued.

“You get as many clearance days as you want as long as you’re good enough.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?” he asked when Keith smirked.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he said too innocently.

“Keith…” he said, voice low.

“I’m not telling you.”

Shiro watched him closely. He carefully set his slice of pizza back in the box. Keith’s eyes widened, and he tossed his pizza on top of the rest of the pie, launching himself from the steps.

“Keith!” Shiro called chasing after him.

“I’m not telling you!” he said, darting out of reach.

“You’re supposed to be staying out of trouble,” he huffed, reaching out for him again.

“I am! I haven’t gotten into trouble for this.”

“You’re not making me feel any better,” Shiro said, his grip falling just short of catching the tail of Keith’s jacket.

“It’s not my job to try and make you feel better!” Keith said, evading him as he reached for him again.

Shiro lurched forward, grinning when he finally managed to snag the back of his jacket. “Gotcha!” he said and reeled him in.

Keith struggled to break free without using the submission techniques he’d learned in training. “You know I can break from this,” he hissed.

“I know you _can,_ but I also know you _won’t_.” Shiro grinned when Keith grumbled under his breath but didn’t make a move to do anything. “So...what did you do?”

“Nothing!” he said.

Shiro lowered his grip to just above Keith’s hips and straightened, picking him up from the ground.

“Okay! Okay!” he said, kicking out and struggling against the hold. “I’ll tell you, just put me down!”

“I’ll put you down after you tell me.”

“Damn it, Shiro,” he hissed.

Shiro moved to swing him around again.

“Okay! I’m just really good at sneaking out, that’s all. Can you put me down now?”

Shiro hummed. “Nope!” he said with a grin and started to carry Keith back towards the porch.

“You’re the worst,” he muttered. “I’m glad you’re leaving tomorrow,” he said, no heat behind his words.

“Nah, you’ll miss me,” Shiro said with a grin.

Keith pursed his lips when he was set back on his feet. He pouted up at Shiro, making him laugh. Keith sighed and bumped their shoulders.

“I’m going to miss you though,” he murmured.

“I know, Keith. I’m going to miss you, too.” Shiro wrapped his arm around Keith’s shoulders. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

They stood there, soaking up each other’s presence. Finally, Keith pulled away.

“Eat as much as you want,” he said, picking up his half-eaten slice. “It’s gonna be the best meal you have in a long time.”

They sat on the steps, the pizza box the only thing separating them as they watched the sun set around them, setting a fiery glow on the sand around them. They ate slowly, enjoying each slice and moment between them. Shiro fought to keep thoughts of the next day out of his mind.

He was excited. He’d been excited for months when he’d heard the news and knew he was going to be part of something so amazing. But now…now that he was sitting here with Keith on the back steps of his shack and the fact Keith had brought him out of the Garrison and ordered pizza…he almost didn’t want the next morning to come.

Shiro could very well have been perfectly happy staying trapped in this moment forever and that scared him a little. There was so much out on the world. So much out in _space._ And he felt himself being pulled backwards by someone who he’d tried to bring forward into the future with him.

When the box had long been emptied and their soda cans drained of every drop, the stars began to peek through the atmosphere.

“What do you say we go for one more ride?” Shiro asked.

He looked over at Keith and found him startle. He didn’t blame him. His own voice sounded loud in the silence between them. Keith looked at him, eyes wide and somehow still shining in the low light.

“The ride out here wasn’t enough for you?” Keith asked, raising an eyebrow as a grin pulled at his lips.

“It’s never enough is it?” he whispered, voice low.

His honesty seemed to take Keith off guard and he looked at him more closely. He pushed himself from the steps and held out a hand to Shiro who took it, letting himself get pulled to his feet. Their hands stayed clasped together for a moment as they watched each other.

Keith walked backward, pulling around the side of the house to where his hoverbike was parked in front. They climbed on, Shiro clutching tightly to Keith as he started the engine and they rose, hovering above the ground.

“Where to?” Keith asked.

“Wherever you’re willing to take me,” Shiro whispered.

The bike jolted forward, leaving the shack behind in a cloud of dust. They sped across the desert and Shiro held onto Keith tightly, less because of the speed they were going and more because he was almost worried this moment would disappear and Keith would slip through his fingers.

Sand flew past them, kicking up in the air and getting caught on his clothes and in his hair. He squinted his eyes, making a mental note that the next time he came out here with Keith on his bike, he’d need to bring goggles. Something painful radiated through his chest at the reminder that wasn’t going to be for a long time.

Keith’s bike moved with the land, dipping as the sand did and rising over hills and mounds, making them bounce when the ground shifted quickly and roughly. Shiro could see the edge of a cliff approach and he tightened his grip on Keith, knowing exactly what he was going to do this time.

The bike shot over the edge, plummeting towards the ground. At the last second, Keith revved the engines and changed the direction of the propulsion systems, keeping them from hitting the ground again. They bounced roughly before taking off faster across the sand between the two canyon walls.

Shiro was relaxed and happy. He trusted Keith. He was a great pilot and knew exactly what he was doing. They’d practiced flying together so many times and Shiro wanted to do _this_ forever.

They could run.

The thought was sudden and unexpected and not one Shiro ever expected to have. He’d always known what he wanted. Had always been working to get to that point no matter if it was studying or training or spending so many extra hours in the simulator to perfect his flying technique.

But now…it almost felt like they could run. That the Kerberos mission didn’t matter as long as he had Keith and they were together. Hours ago, he’d only had his sights on packing and getting ready to leave, but now…now there was so much more.

The bike slowed underneath them as they came out of the canyon they’d been flying in. Shiro could see another outcropping of rocks ahead, some of them forming a strange arch of natural rock.

Keith turned to look at him. His eyes were bright in the dim light and his cheeks flushed. He must’ve seen something on Shiro’s face because he frowned.

“Shiro?” he asked. “Is everything okay?”

He stared at him before looking around. He climbed off the bike and Keith followed him, watching carefully.

“Shiro, if something’s wrong… Do we need to go back?”

Shiro shook his head. He looked up at the sky. He glanced over the stars and distant planets he couldn’t see without a telescope. All of it had held so much allure to him. He’d wanted nothing as badly for so many years. Then he looked down at Keith who was watching him, face filled with concern.

“I don’t want to go,” he admitted.

Keith’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean you don’t want to go? You’ve wanted to go to Kerberos since they announced the mission,” he said, stepping closer.

“I know,” Shiro agreed. “But being out here…with you, it’s…I never would’ve imagined something so simple could be so amazing. I don’t want to leave you.”

Keith sighed and stalked forward. Shiro wasn’t sure what he was going to do. But he definitely wasn’t expecting it when Keith raised his hands and shoved at him. He stumbled back in surprise and looked at Keith.

“Keith, what-“

Keith rushed forward again and shoved him rougher than he had the first time.

“Keith, sto-“

He put all his weight behind the next shove and they both fell to the ground in a cloud of dust. Keith hovered over him, chest heaving. His hands were planted next to Shiro’s head as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“You can’t give up on your dreams, Shiro,” Keith said between breaths. “I won’t let you. You’ve wanted this for so long and one moment of hesitation might leave you with a lifetime of regret.”

“We could run,” Shiro whispered, something in his chest twisting.

Keith shook his head. “I’m not going to let you run from this, Shiro. I know you want it. I’m not going to let you give up on your dreams. I’ll be here when you get back. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Shiro sat up and cradled the back of Keith’s head, pressing their lips together. Keith’s arms wrapped around his shoulders as they kissed, and he settled into Shiro’s lap. Keith was warm under Shiro’s hands. He was alive and thriving and Shiro wanted to keep him all to himself. He wanted to stay there forever.

Keith pulled back and pressed their foreheads together. “We’re going to be okay, Shiro. I’ll be here when you get back, but you need to do this. It’s what you’ve always wanted.”

“I’m starting to think that what I’ve always wanted is you, Keith,” he whispered.

Keith sucked in a breath. “That’s really unfair, Shiro.”

“I’m sorry.”

Keith sighed and shook his head. “We should head back,” he murmured.

Shiro tightened his hold on him. “I don’t want this night to end.”

“We need to get back to the Garrison,” Keith said, more forcefully this time.  

“Will you stay with me once we get there?”

Keith opened his mouth to say no.

“Please?” he asked, voice soft.

“So unfair,” Keith muttered and sighed. “Okay, I’ll stay with you when we get back.”

They spent a few more moments soaking up each other’s presence in the dark night, Shiro wanting to keep Keith in his lap as long as possible so their warm bodies could stay pressed together. They finally managed to pull themselves up out of the dirt and dust and climbed back on the bike, Shiro clutching tightly to Keith. They rode back to the shack in silence, cleaning up their mess from dinner.

Shiro froze on the front steps of the shack, looking at the desert around them and the sky above.

“Come on, Shiro,” Keith said, taking his hand.

Shiro nodded and let himself be pulled towards the bike. He buried his face in Keith’s shoulder when they climbed on. The drive back was monotonous, not nearly as exciting as when they’d flown out. The distance closed too quickly, and they were once again back at the Garrison, the full weight of what was happening hitting Shiro yet again.

They walked shoulder to shoulder back to Shiro’s room and slipped inside. The hallways were quiet and dim in the late hours of the day. Or maybe it was the early hours now. Shiro couldn’t find the strength to check the time when it would make everything too real. He was leaving soon, and he didn’t want to know how soon it was.

They didn’t look at each other as they stripped out of their uniforms into white shirts and boxers. Keith climbed onto his bed first and Shiro settled in behind him. He threw an arm over Keith’s stomach and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He held on tightly, keeping Keith as close as he could.

Keith drifted off easily, but Shiro was kept up with his thoughts into the early hours of the morning. He was going to be tired the next day, but he could handle it. He wasn’t going to let the Kerberos takeoff fail, but he wanted to absorb as much time as he had left with Keith. He knew if he fell asleep, the morning would come too quickly. At least this way he had the ability to feel as though he was staving off the inevitable.

Shiro drifted off every now and then during the night and when his alarm went off, he and Keith dressed slowly and silently, not giving themselves time to stay and lounge in bed. They shared a long kiss before leaving for the launch, Shiro dressed in his uniform before he would change into the spacesuit. His bag was slung over his shoulder, the bulk almost unnoticeable.

They were forced to part too soon and despite the number of people that could see them or could’ve caught them, Shiro pulled Keith in for one last kiss, soft lips moving together as he tried to convey how much Keith meant to him and how much he was going to miss him.

Keith cradled his face between his palms. They didn’t say any words. They didn’t say any goodbyes. Keith’s eyes shone brightly and Shiro wanted to be lost in their depths if it meant he could stay, but as though he knew what he was thinking, Keith shook his head.

Shiro stepped back and Keith’s hands fell away. Their eyes stayed locked until Shiro disappeared behind a pair of double doors guarded by two Garrison soldiers.

Months later, when Shiro was stuck in a dirty cell and licking his wounds after another gruesome fight in the arena, he was once again filled with regret that he hadn’t abandoned the mission and stayed behind.

He tried to lose himself in thoughts of bright, violet eyes, that mischievous grin, and the feeling of soft, pink lips against his own. He tried to remember the warmth of the sun and dirt on his skin as he’d held Keith during their last hours together and what his bedsheets had felt like. Some nights were harder than others and more than once he found himself questioning the reality of it all and if he was just crazy enough to have created the illusion of that last night they’d had.

But he knew. There was still a part of him that knew how real Keith was, because what he was feeling wasn’t something he could invent. It was too real. It burned to brightly. It consumed him in a way that only his desire to see space ever had.

So much time had been lost with Keith and he could only hope he’d still be waiting for him when he got back to Earth. Because as much pain as he was in and as difficult as fighting in the arena was, he was going to get back.

And he was never going to leave Keith again.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [Tumblr](my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


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